There are certain characteristics that a great salesperson has
compared to an average or poor salesperson. Knowing how to go about
hiring a great salesperson can save a business owner a lot of
headaches in the future.

Are you ready to hire a great salesperson for your company? Here
is what you need to do:

Hire a person that loves interacting with other people. Have you
heard the term people person? That quality is exactly what you are
looking for. Too often I have been called upon by sales people that
are tired, worn out and incapable of relating to other people. Your
salesperson has to be likable and willing to meet other people.

Hire a punctual person. It is a shame that this even has to be
mentioned these days, but it seems like punctuality is a dying art
form. Your salesperson has to be on time all the time. An applicant
that shows up 10 minutes late for your sales interview will,
undoubtedly, show up late for your sales appointments as well.

Hire a well-groomed person. A great salesperson looks her or his
best all the time: teeth brushed, hair combed, wearing stylish,
business-specific clothing. If you have to teach your sales
applicant how to dress for the part during the interview process,
you are talking to the wrong person.

Hire a person that is genuinely into the fine details. The devil
may be in the details, but your business contracts have to be set
up the right way — with both parties clearly understanding their
role in the relationship. Your salesperson has to be very good at
explaining these roles and communicating the need to stick with the
program. A client that does not firmly grasp the scope of the
relationship — or your value to them — is a company you will not
be doing business with in the future. I promise you that one.

Test your new applicant on the spot: Why should you wait to be
surprised by how your new salesperson acts in the field? Test her
on the spot; ask her to sell you your pen. This sounds absolutely
crazy, but a great salesperson can speak on cue and ad lib a
convincing pitch about a product she knows little or nothing about.
The applicant that asks for more background information on the pen
is stalling for time and lacks the genuine ability to sell at the
level that you need someone selling.

The fact of the matter is your sales applicants’ grades in
school and prior positions tell you very little about what she will
successfully sell you in the field. If you identify a person with
the aforementioned characteristics and she passes the test I shared
above, then chances are you have found yourself a fantastic
salesperson for your business. Hiring someone without these traits
is asking for a business relationship that simply will not work
out.

Frank P. Costabilo Jr. owns and operates a full-service public
relations firm and has worked with small and medium sized
businesses for the past 18 years. He can be reached via
news@thebizpress.com.

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